Blue Rock Inn is hosting a number of special events this spring, including several wine tasting dinners to appeal to local area wine connoisseurs.
This past weekend, Blue Rock Inn sponsored a Spanish dinner with Spanish wines and tapas for 16 Rappahannock area friends and clients.
Fran Kysela, a master sommelier and one of the most successful specialty wine importers in the country, provided the Spanish wines to complement the tapas menu.
Seven beautifully-bottled and tasty wines variously described as "showing good concentration and power," "brilliant aromatic potential," "hints of smoke and leather-accented raspberry and strawberry fruit," "mouthwatering, offering a nice mix of sweet fruit and musky earth tones," were served.
The wine importer, "Kysela Pere et Fils" of Winchester has in a few years become a $20 million regional firm that distributes its wine throughout the country. Its website can be accessed at http://www.kysela.com.
Before dinner, succulent spicy jumbo shrimp in bacon jackets were passed around to guests on the terrace, served with a champagne-like "Cava" wine. At the seated dinner, the menu put together by Chef Jim McCullough was a tasty substitute for a trip to Spain. Five Spanish-style tapas (with specially paired wines) were served.
Half-way through the tapas, guests were served a tart and especially tasty Green Apple Sorbet ("to cleanse the palette") made by chef's father, F.W."Hutch" Hutchinson.
After nearly three hours of feasting on tapas, guests were still able to make room for a perfectly glazed Crème Brûlé with Almond Tuille. An N.V. Romariz Tawny Port complimented the dessert dish.
Blue Rock's next wine tasting dinner is set for Friday, April 13 with wines by Blenheim Wines of Charlottesville.
Cost of the dinner is $75 per person, and reservations can be made by email at Jim McCullough or by calling Jim McCullough at 540-987-3190.
